If Only (2004)

If Only takes a familiar romantic fantasy idea and makes it feel freshly intimate, the kind of movie that sneaks up on you and then hits where it hurts—in a good way. Set against a softly moody London backdrop, it blends wistful time-bending with grounded relationship truth, letting the story linger on the small moments we all think we’ll have time for later. Jennifer Love Hewitt and Paul Nicholls give the film its heartbeat, selling the chemistry and the ache with performances that feel sincere rather than manufactured, while Tom Wilkinson adds a gentle, human warmth that deepens the spell. It’s unabashedly emotional and a bit melodramatic by design, so if you’re allergic to tearjerkers you may resist it—but if you’re open to a tender, moving reminder to love out loud, it’s absolutely worth the ride.

If Only is aiming for a tearjerker twist on the “relive the day and fix your mistakes” fantasy, with a big romantic gesture meant to leave you wrecked in a cathartic way. The problem is it leans so hard into sentimentality and familiar beats that it can feel more like a Hallmark-style tragedy than an earned emotional gut punch, and the script often pushes characters into clichés to reach its intended sob points. If you’re allergic to maudlin dialogue, predictable turns, and manipulation-by-music-montage, this will likely test your patience. That said, Jennifer Love Hewitt brings sincere warmth, and if you’re specifically in the mood for a straightforward, old-school weepie about regret and second chances, it can still land.